1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices and methods for storing and deploying packaged merchandise, and in particular, to devices and methods adapted to load display pegs.
2. Discussion of the prior Art
Pegboard displays have become the supermarket display mode of choice for lightweight merchandise. It has been found however that loading merchandise onto these displays is very time consuming. Given the very narrow profit margin on which most supermarkets operate, cost saving in this activity is greatly desired. A recent solution to this problem has been the xe2x80x9cpower panelxe2x80x9d. This is a ready made package of a number of loaded pegs in a box, which is simply hung up on the available shelf wall. This mode has two disadvantages, it is expensive and does not provide a ready means of recharge if there is a substantial difference in the sales of different items in the panel. There is therefore, a demand for a way of prepackaging a number of items so that they can be readily loaded onto the pegboards as a group rather than as individual items.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,772 shows a device for holding and facilitating the unloading of merchandise onto a display peg. There, a plug connects by a cord through a rear hole of a cup-shaped coupler. The plug and coupler can be joined together to form a loop that holds merchandise. The coupler can be separated from the plug and connected to the end of a display peg, so that the merchandise can slide onto the peg. This coupler will not easily be secured to the peg and the reference does not suggest improvements such as shaping the coupler as an open channel (or split tube) open at one or both ends, with either end bevelled in order to facilitate installation of the coupler onto a peg. The reference also does not suggest deploying a ratchet tooth inside the coupler for gripping the peg. Furthermore, the reference does not suggest making the coupler annular or noose-like to enhance attachment to the display peg. Additionally, the reference shows a complicated, rigid molded plug and does not suggest a simple flexible or barbed stop (located either distally or proximally) or a simple intermediate (or distal) hole along the length of the device to form a loop for holding merchandise. Moreover, the reference does not suggest a cord made of wire or a flat segment attached to the closed end of a tube segment that can be easily looped to a proximal or intermediate position by tying, lassoing, or otherwise.
In accordance with the illustrative embodiments demonstrating features and advantages of the present invention, there is provided a device for holding and facilitating the unloading therefrom of packaged merchandise onto a display peg. The device has a quick release coupler having a distal opening for releasably engaging the peg. The device also has a stem attached to the coupler for holding the packaged merchandise. Also included is a securing means for releasably securing the packaged merchandise on the stem.
According to one aspect of the present invention, coupler can have a channel (or split tube) that is open along its length and sized to fit around the peg. According to another aspect of the present invention, the coupler can be: (a) at least partially bevelled at the anterior opening to extend axially in an axially asymmetric fashion by amounts that differ for positions angularly displaced around the coupler, (b) tubular with openings at an anterior and posterior end, with the stem being asymmetrically positioned to the outside of the opening at the posterior end, (c) bevelled and open at either end, or (d) annular. According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the coupler can have a tubular sleeve with at least one internal ratchet tooth for gripping the peg. According to yet still another aspect of the present invention, the stem has a distal stop (optionally flexible) distal from the coupler for impeding the release of the packaged merchandise out past the distal stop, as well as having in some cases a proximal stop proximal to the coupler for impeding release of the packaged merchandise past said proximal stop toward the coupler. According to still a further aspect of the present invention, a reentrance hole (either proximal or distal to the coupler) allows looping back in order to secure packaged merchandise on the stem. According to yet a further aspect of the present invention, this stem may have: (a) a ductile wire adapted for looping and tying in order to secure packaged merchandise on the stem, (b) a flat segment with one end attached core axially to the close posterior end of a tube segment of the coupler, or (c) a barbed plug on a distal end of the stem, sized to fit snugly into the coupler to form a loop for securing packaged merchandise on the stem.
In accordance with a related aspect of the present invention, a method employs an elongated device for storing and rapidly deploying a plurality of packaged merchandise that are each packaged with an opening suitable for loading onto a display peg. The method includes the step of storing the plurality of packaged merchandise by placing each of the openings about the elongated device. Another step is securing one end of the elongated device to the display peg. The method also includes the step of sliding the plurality of packaged merchandise off the elongated device and onto the display peg. Another included step is removing the elongated device from the display peg.
According to one aspect of the method of the present invention, the elongated device can be looped to entrap the packaged merchandise by: (a) closing one end of the elongated device to an intermediate position thereon, or (b) tying one end of the elongated device to another position thereon, or (c) fastening one end of the elongated device in the hole at an intermediate position along the elongated device, whereby the packaged merchandise is securely held in the loop thus created. According to another aspect of the method of the present invention, the step of securing the elongated device to the display peg is performed by lassoing the display peg with the elongated device. According to yet another aspect of the method of the present invention, the step of loading each of the openings of the merchandise is performed by loading the merchandise over a bevelled end of the elongated device and sliding the packaged merchandise toward a distal stop.
The disclosed a device can hold and facilitate the unloading therefrom of packaged merchandise onto a peg of a pegboard display, which in some embodiments comprises a tube segment having an open end and a closed end, a flat segment having two ends, one end of which is attached to the closed end of the tube segment and coaxial with it. The diameter of this exemplary tube segment and the width of said flat segment are substantially equal. The other end of this flat segment may be attached to a stop means, which has a width perpendicular to the common axis which is substantially greater than the diameter of the tube segment. Suitably, the device is made of a thermoplastic material, for example polyethylene.
In one embodiment of the invention, a slot is located in said flat segment proximate to its juncture with the tube segment. Suitably, the slot is substantially coaxial with said common axis, and desirably the slot is sufficiently large to permit the stop means to be passed therethrough, but once passed through, it cannot slip back through the slot without the assistance of an installer. In a variant of this embodiment, portions of the stop means extending beyond the width of the flat segment are foldable in the direction of the common axis to provide a provisional net width substantially equal to the width of the flat segment. Such a variant has two purposes. It makes it easier to slide the stop means through the slot and also enables loading to be done from the xe2x80x9cstopxe2x80x9d end rather than the tube end.
The scope of the invention also includes a method of providing bagged merchandise in a manner suitable for rapid loading onto peg board displays. One aspect of this method comprises the steps of loading packaged merchandise which are packaged with an opening therein, onto the device at a distribution location, and, when the merchandise arrives at the store where it is to be displayed for sale, placing the open end of the above exemplary tube segment of the device on the peg of a pegboard display device, sliding the merchandise onto the peg and removing the empty device from the peg.
In one method of loading the bagged merchandise onto the device the packaged merchandise having an opening, is slid over the open end of the tube segment of the exemplary device and the merchandise is slid up to the stop means.
Where a slot is provided in this embodiment, after loading as above, the stop means is pushed through the slot in such a manner that it is retained therein, whereby the loaded merchandise is securely held in the loop thus created.
In a variant of this embodiment, the extended, foldable, portions of the stop means device are folded to provide said narrower provisional net width, thereafter the packaged merchandise having an opening, is loaded onto said folded portions of the stop means, then the bags are slid up to but not beyond the slot, and the stop means inserted through the slot in such a manner that it is retained therein. Thus the loaded merchandise is securely held in the loop thus created by permitting said folded end to be unfolded.